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> Hi Holly: > > My reading on Bedbugs consistently indicates they are parasitic. They > feed on the blood of warm blooded animals. Is there an indication they > will search out books? I think the books will be safe even if they do > have leather covers. Maybe someone else has experience to the contrary > but otherwise I think the books have more to worry about contact with > people than with Bedbugs. I think you are missing the point about bed bug biology. The bugs are parasitic and feed on people (or other warm-blooded animals), but they will harbor in many places which is one reason for the world-wide bed bug population explosion. If people bring books home from a library and they have bed bugs, there is a good chance that that the bugs will harbor in more and more items, especially if their bed bug population is high. The bed bugs may be more concentrated in and around where their favorite host stays, especially the bed (or sofa, or upholstered chair, etc.) where their host spends a lot of time (sleeping). The population expands over time and harborage sites extend further and further from the main areas. There may be additional sites far removed from the bed area, especially if infested items have been transferred from one room to another or the bugs have crawled over from an adjoining room or apartment. People read in bed and bugs crawling in that area could crawl into the book on the bed and when returned to the library introduce bed bugs into the library and on a shelf. It has happened. People have brought bed bugs in their personal backpacks or on their clothing when visiting a library and the bugs have transferred to items in the reading rooms or in the stacks. Some of these people have no idea that they have an infestation, know they have an infestation and have not treated well, ignore the problem, don't react to bites, or a combination of these items and more, and the list goes on. An insect that is pale colored and around 1 mm long easily escapes detection. An insect that is reddish brown and around 5 mm long also escapes detection, but is mostly associated with the term bed bug while the first instar nymph at 1 mm is often ignored. Both sizes plus the 2nd through 5th instar nymphs are all blood feeders. Eggs are sticky, around 1 mm and often escape detection and a female bed bug could lay a few eggs on the book edge, in the spine and then the nymph hatches while the book is on a shelf (hatches in 10-14 days depending on temperature). I've had the first instar last 4-6 weeks without its first blood meal (of course some died, too, without obtaining a first meal) and people have told me that some have lasted even longer. Bed bugs in general can last months without a blood meal and even longer if already fed and waiting for the next meal. Dark brown to black fecal drops and pale colored uric acid drops also are indicative of infestations (as are shed skins), but how big would these drops be from a first instar nymph (it being only 1 mm long) through the other 4 nymphal instars in addition to the adult insect? Some are extremely small (a pinpoint) and also vary with the substrate upon which they have been placed. Depending on the substrate, the defecated liquid may be absorbed and form a blotch or may be repelled and bead up. > > > > As an aside, I've had consistently good results eradicating all types of > insects using Nitrogen with anoxic technique without concern for > chemical interaction with collection materials nor for thermal > complications possible with heating or freezing. Alternatively, good > housekeeping, vacuuming and repeated inspection is safe and effective. > > > > Best of luck, > > Steve > > > > > > Steven Pine > > Decorative Arts Conservator > > The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston > > P.O. Box 6826 > > Houston, TX 77265 > > P. (713) 639-7731 > > C. (281) 546-7059 > > > > > > > > > > From: pestlist-ow...@museumpests.net > [mailto:pestlist-ow...@museumpests.net] On Behalf Of Prochaska, Holly > (prochah) > Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2010 12:12 PM > To: 'pestlist@museumpests.net' > Subject: [pestlist] Treatment for bedbugs found in bound materials > > > > Colleagues, > > I am trying to work on a procedure for treating bound paper materials > that have bedbugs. We haven't had any confirmed sightings yet in > materials, but considering our State-wide problem I fear it is just a > matter of time. I've seen plenty of good information related to > facilities, but not a lot related to caring for books that have been > affected. The most common quick quip is that they should be "cooked" at > temperatures around 140 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours. I've not seen > any indication what they are being cooked in. There is a device called > Packtite that gets some mention on blogs, but not on any > conservation/preservation sites. NEDCC, LOC, and Lyrasis sites don't > have anything yet either. From what I've read freezing apparently > doesn't kill the egg stage. My concern right now is the general > circulating collection, so freezing might be the only option for > rare/unique materials.... > > > > Has your institution started tackling this question? Any help would > be appreciated! > > > > > > Holly Prochaska > > Head, Preservation Services > > University of Cincinnati Libraries > > Tele:513-556-1389 > > Fax:513-556-0325 > > > > > > -- Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail Louis N. Sorkin, B.C.E. Entomology Section Division of Invertebrate Zoology American Museum of Natural History Central Park West at 79th Street New York, NY 10024-5192 phone: 212-769-5613 fax: 212-769-5277 email: sor...@amnh.org The New York Entomological Society, Inc. email: n...@amnh.org web: www.nyentsoc.org Online journal from 2001 forward www.BioOne.org ------------------------------------------------------------- To send an email to the list, send your msg to pestl...@museumpests.com To unsubscribe from this list send an email to imail...@museumpests.net and in the body put: "unsubscribe pestlist" Any problems email l...@zaks.com
